Class I. COMMON BAT. 149 



gular, uncertain, and jerking motion * of the bat 

 in the air, can merit the name of flight. No 

 birds whatfoever are furnifhed with teeth, or bring 

 forth their young alive, and fuckle them : were 

 other notes wanting, thefe would be fufficient to 

 determine that the bat is a quadruped. 



The fpecies now defcribed, is the mod common : 

 the ufual length of it is about two inches and a 

 half: the extent of the fore-legs nine inches. 



The members that are ufually called the wings, 

 are nothing more than the four interior toes of 

 the fore-feet, produced to a great length, and 

 conneded by a thin membrane j which extends 

 alfo to the hind legs ; and from them to the tail : 

 the firft toe is quite loofe, and ferves as a heel, 

 when the bat walks •, or as a hook, when it would 

 adhere to any thing. The hind-feet are difengaged 

 from the membrane, and divided into five toes, fur- 

 nifhed with pretty ftrong claws. The membranes 

 are of a dufky color: the body is covered with 

 fhort fur, of a moufe-color, tinged with red. The 

 eyes are very fmall : the ears like thofe of the 

 moufe. 



This fpecies of bat is very common in England: 

 it makes its firft appearance early in the fummer, 

 and begins its flight in the dufk of the evening: 

 it principally frequents the fides of woods, glades, 

 and Ihady walks; and is alio frequently obferved 



* The Englijh fynonym of this animal, Flitter^ or Flutter 

 moufe, is very exprefTive of its action in the air, 



to 



